Macabre Tales of Dalliance
by Rozzberries
Summary: When Catherine Halsey's daughter, Lex, is kidnapped, havoc ensues when she realizes that she has no choice but to comply with her captors. But what happens when her task to go behind enemy lines for him makes her fall in love?
1. First Encounter

**Chapter One;**

First Encounter.

_Disclaimer; The Halo Universe is all owned by groups which exclude myself. The only thing I own within this story are a few characters (Lex, Darryl, Draven, ect.) and the words I'm writing to describe their adventures and lives._

_So, anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter. I REALLY enjoyed writing this. But, for all original Halo fans, this may be a stretch. It's more of a girl story then a guy story, though parts will be gruesome later on. _

* * *

**-Lex-**

I never really believed in aliens while I was growing up.

My father, on the other hand, was a strong believer. Nearly every night, he'd be on the computer, researching. I'd find him in the same spot the next morning, and he'd always try to convince me that I was wrong. And, after a few months, I realized just how right he had always been.

News about the Covenant invasion and the destruction of Reach was everywhere. My brother, Darryl, had been called out, and he was serving throughout space somewhere, fighting off the enemy that I had always thought to be imaginary. Rumors of a program, Spartan II, flew from colony to colony, provoking fear and hope in every human still standing. Nowadays, you either stood up for yourself or you'd be burned by neon colored plasma; neither were very pleasant, usually. If there were Spartans around, warriors who were deemed indestructible, maybe this war would be cut short.

When the Orbital Drop Shock Troopers, ODST for short, appeared at my door, my father had already passed, and I was serving along with them, too. The daughter of the infamous Catherine Halsey, founder of the Spartan II program, who seemed to have forgotten that she had a daughter until she met her son, which led her to stopping at my father and my apartment. That sure gave father-dear a jolt.

"Lieutenant Halsey; you're mother requests you visit her."

I internally cringed. No one, it seemed, understood that you need to earn a rank. You can't just magically get one due to relations. But, Catherine had insisted, saying that if Darryl was a captain, I should at least be one rank under him. I'd earn my rank as captain soon enough. I still thought it to be impossible; I was only sixteen.

I nodded quickly, refraining from slamming the door in their faces, and turned on my heel, heading back into my small, but not too shabby, apartment. One wall was lined with all of the most current technologies; from motion sensors to weapon diagnostics stations. That was another thing that my mother had insisted on; I needed to constantly be up to date.

Upon entering and shutting my bedroom door, I changed into what I called my casual uniform; hunter green turtleneck, khaki slacks, knee high lace up boots over the legs of the aforementioned slacks, and, of course, my uniform coat, the lieutenant pins put in perfect place. While all of this was going on, I was trying (and failing) to mentally figure out what it was that my mother needed. She never requested my presence on short notice. As I thought, I yanked my long, black hair up into a high ponytail, tying it quickly and staring at the incredibly changed reflection staring back at me. I was, without a doubt, not the same person I had been less then a month ago. I blamed my mother's rushed attempts to get me to grow up.

Upon hearing one of the many ODSTs sigh impatiently, I quickly exited my room, smiling in satisfaction as all of the men within my living room snapped to attention. Maybe rank wasn't such a bad thing after all.

"Well, let's go. I don't think Catherine will appreciate it if I'm late."

We made our way out of the rundown apartment building I called home, walking to the Pelican across the lot. The bird was surrounded by four guards; one of them who I knew quite well. "Darryl!"

My brother smirked as I hastily made my way to him, and when I threw my arms around him, he grunted, then laughed. Returning the hug, he murmured, "It's good to see you, too, Lex. Boy, have I missed you."

When we broke our embrace, I smiled at another familiar face, "Hello, Draven."

The Pelican's captain acknowledged me with a nod; which was more then enough, seeing how his lips were still healing. They had been sewn shut for quite a bit, and now his voice was something everyone knew would never be heard again. He had just recently been saved from two years of brute torture. Everyone was still amazed that he had, somehow, managed to get out alive. I almost thought he'd rather be held hostage still, since he had been my personal chauffeur ever since.

When everyone was done greeting one another, we clambered into the Pelican, all sitting across from each other. Well, except for Draven and Darryl; they were lucky enough to sit in the cockpit. Everyone else was crowded in the back.

As the Pelican lifted into the air, my mind went into fast forward. I still couldn't figure it out. My mother acted as if she was...well...my mother. But she had no right to. I mean, my father had raised me for sixteen years on his own, and he had told me time and time again that my mother had left us after I was born. She had given birth to Darryl, then two years later I was born, and she had left to 'follow her own path without us'. According to everyone who knew her now, her path had led her simply to destruction. No one seemed to like her, especially the Spartans, who I had only recently discovered were real.

My eyes wandered momentarily, resting on all of the ODSTs, their faces concealed by helmets. Not being able to see their eyes was making me nervous; I HATED not being able to tell if they were looking back at me.

"Landing in five," Darryl called back to us, and everyone braced themselves.

The landing wasn't rough, mostly because Draven didn't land; he pulled close to the ground, yes, but instead of placing the Pelican on landing pad, he hovered, dropping the hatch in the back and creating a ramp for all of the soldiers enclosed in the back to leave.

We unstrapped ourselves, making our way out of the Pelican on shaky legs. As soon as my feet hit the asphalt, though, I was bombarded; this time by my mother. Her arms, wrapped tightly around me, pulling me away from the aircraft and more towards the large, towering building she called her office. It was actually just a vacant old hotel, with the ceiling caved in by a plasma beam from one of the Covenant ships, yet it was the only building still somewhat intact for miles.

My mother was practically squealing, "Lexianna! Oh, I've missed you!"

I grunted, "It's only been a day, mother." I detached myself from her stiffly, straightening my attire and glancing around; until my eyes rested upon the bulky man standing in my mother's shadow.

He was tall, and, in comparison to all of the people nearby, he was the size of the Hulk. In appearance, he looked, maybe, forty-years old. But his face betrayed all of the muscle; his features made me know that he was probably only ten years older then me, not thirty. His skin, though, was the color of paste; pearly white, with an odd shine, and barely any color, maybe just a little peach.

At this point, my mother was watching me survey him, and smirking the entire time. "Lexianna, this is John. He is my favorite Spartan, one of the first." At this introduction, John's eyes snapped to mine, his hand shooting up in an awkward salute. I couldn't contain myself; I smiled, laughing, and saluted back. Sometimes my immaturity got the best of me.

"Professor Halsey speaks fondly of you," John's voice resonated as he eased his arms back to his sides. I could tell, within that second, that he was not accustomed to being out of armor.

I glanced to my mother, frowning, "Is that so."

She shrugged, and John's lips dropped into a momentary frown. But the small emotion dissappeared quickly, and he was back to looking expressionless.

I turned fully to my mother.

"So, why did you want me here?

Now, if you haven't noticed, my mother is often ecentric. And with her next words, I stongly questioned her sanity - "Well, Lexianna, I have a mission for you to go on. It'll let me know if you're ready for that promotion."

My jaw dropped. "A mission?!" The thoughts were raging in my mind. Me, sixteen year old Lex Dawn Halsey, the only person in her class (yes, we still had to go to school) who had no idea how to shoot a gun, going on a mission against the aliens who were threatening the universe we called home? "M-mom, thanks for the offer, but I have to decline. I mean --"

"Let me finish, Lexianna."--I shut my mouth audibly-- "You'll be on a mission with well trained officials. From standard Marines, to ODSTs, to John here. I already have your own armor set out, and a wide selection of weapons. You'll be just like the ODSTs you seem so fond of. It'll be fine. And, besides, I'm not dropping you in the middle of a war; you'll get to sit on the sidelines, observe, pick off enemies with a sniper rifle. When you think you're ready, you can get closer to the fight," Her eyes flickered across my features, "Understood?"

Mutely, I nodded, and she smiled reassuringly. "It won't be so bad, Lexi. Just promise to remember who you are." Catherine stared into my eyes, mirror images of hers. I wish I had been born without so many similarties, like Darryl. I nodded once more, and she hugged me.

When she pulled away, she gently took my shoulders and pushed me in John's direction. I looked up at him, at his expressionless demeanor that I momentarily envied. "Are you ready?" he asked.

I shook my head, glancing behind me at my mother's eager expression. "No. But I never will be." My eyes met John's once more. "Let's go."

I could practically hear my mother cheering internally as John and I walked away.

------- _**To Be Continued**_


	2. Watching You

**Chapter Two;**

Watching You.

_The character introduced in this chapter is more or less my version of my favorite character in the Halo book series, Zuka 'Zamamee (He was in __Halo: The Flood__). Riek 'Lasamee (Pronounced Rye-Eck Lah-ssah-mee) will be in multiple chapters. I'd like to let you know that this story takes place between H2 and H3; it's more in H3, but Tarturus hasn't died yet. Alas, the POV of this story will, most likely, switch between Lex and Riek periodically. I'll probably throw John's Point of view into the mix eventually._

_And, no, I don't own the I Love Bees website idea. Look it up on Wikipedia. It's actually kinda cool._

* * *

-**Riek 'Lasamee-**

As a former member of the Sangheili honor guards, I know very well the shame of heresy. Never have I been termed heretic, but I have been around long enough to watch as my brothers slowly got picked off due to their actions. Even for me that was shameful, and I had absolutely nothing to do with their downfall.

I had watched day in and day out as numerous heretics met their fate; often, I was assigned to come up with an ending for them. It was my dream, my destiny, that if ever I was pronounced heretic, I'd become the Arbiter that all of the other Sangheili looked up to and that the Unggoy were completely loyal to.

Therefore, I was crestfallen when news of the new Arbiter and his mission to destroy the heretics passed through every part of _High Charity_. I followed him loyally for years, waiting for his downfall. Yet it never came. While others worshipped him and wished he'd live forever, I longed for the moment when he'd fall under the alien wrath. These thoughts were, in themselves, betrayal, and I was banished from _High Charity _as punishment. I had thought I'd be dead by now, but the mark of shame burned into my skin seemed to make all of the other species of the Covenant weary; they often stayed as far as they could.

Fleetless, with a spent plasma rifle and armor burned and dented from years of fighting, I was a bird in the crosshairs. The only thing I had to keep me somewhat protected was a small fighter ship, though it was still rendered useless; the Jiralhanae had been ordered to remove all weaponry, making my ship,_ Exile's Atrophy_, worthless if ever I was presented with a threat. Which seemed often.

Somehow, though, I had been accepted into a fleet of Jiralhanae, ones who had yet to be accepted into the Covenant themselves. They didn't necessarily welcome me with open arms, but they did help me reconfigure all of the technology within my ship, as well as restoring all of my weapons. Those came for a price; every time they did something to help me, I had to whisper in the chieftain's, Latius, ear a secret of the prophets. This definitely sped up my apostasy; yet I often questioned what the point was in following a religion I had been excluded from.

Eventually, I discovered Latius's, the chieftain at the time, intentions. He planned on infiltrating _High Charity_, making himself a member of the Honor guard. I was the first Sangheili to be caught up in what was later to be deemed the Jirlhanae Sangheili Honor War. And I sided with the Jirlhanae.

Upon becoming the honor guard he had strived to be, Latius swore to protect me from the wrath of the other Sangheili, who considered my betrayals to be far beyond heresy. As a token of his appreciation for my shared knowledge of the way around _High Charity_, he made me his second in command. I gladly stood by his side. He was the Arbiter of the Jirlhanae, and I was acknowledged with power because I was nearly parallel to his rank. We made a great team; until Tarturus came into the picture. Latius fled, and his promise was broken; I was, once more, brought before the council of the Hierarchs

A young brute chieftain was assigned by The Prophet of Regret to come up with a fate suitable for me. His plan was simple; I was to be executed with all of the remaining Covenant eyes glued to me. Yet, somehow, Tarturus changed that. Instead of death, which I believed was well deserved, I'd die honorably; I was sent in search of an alien, the demon, and I was to bring him back to _High Charity_. If I succeeded, I'd return and the Hierarchs would re-discuss my fate. If I did not succeed, however, I wouldn't return at all. I'd be forced to kill myself due to chagrin.

It was a sound plan, one I easily believed I'd be able to accomplish. I was sent with numerous Unggoy and Kig'Yar to the most recently located ring, where the Demon had been seen last. Yet I came back empty handed, with purple liquid oozing from the multiple bullet holes scarring my body. The council was everything but pleased. The council then decided I needed larger troops to back me up, and they gave me back all of my rights as Shipmaster.

Hence why I am where I am right this second. Flying_ Exile's Atrophy _through slipspace, surrounded by Covenant Phantoms, preparing to infiltrate the ring once more. Yet, this time, we have a new mission. We are to kidnap anyone who gets in our way of the demon and torture as much information out of them as possible. Being the only Sangheili remaining in the Covenant, I am to somehow blend with all of the other Sangheili, now termed Elites, who are fighting side-by-side with the humans. My secondary mission is to kill the Arbiter in seclusion and steal his armor; I am to become who I have always longed to be, which will allow me get close to this demon, this Master Chief.

Upon entering Halo's atmosphere, static filled the bridge of _Exile's Atrophy_; "Be prepared, Riek. Recite your Sangheili mantra if you feel doing so will give you strength. This is your last chance." Tarturus sounded too cheery for my liking, but I did as he said.

I turned to the Unggoy lined in the bridge, all chattering about. Even though they never had recited the words along with me, I recited them aloud. As soon as I started speaking, all of the Unggoy's eyes were on me, "When we joined the Covenant, we took an oath. _According to our station! All without exception! _On the blood of our fathers, on the blood of our sons, we swore to uphold the Covenant. _Even to our dying breath! _Those who would break this oath are heretics. Worthy of neither pity nor mercy. _We shall grind them into dust! Wipe them as excrement from our boots! _And continue our march to glorious salvation!"

Some of the Unggoy knew the words, and they would reply to my previous statement at the correct time. As soon as the words were past my mandibles, and my voice died within my throat, the Unggoy cheered, lifting my hopes that we would succeed. Still, the words brought me down. Was I a heretic? Was I not worthy of pity and mercy? Instead of thinking that way, I thought about all of the Unggoy standing before me. I had never been one of the members of our alliance who saw the Unggoy as canon fodder. They were small, yet they made a great team when paired together. Just like Latius and I once had.

I sighed, turning back to the controls, preparing to land as close to the Forerunner artifact built upon the sacred ring. Silently, I punched the COMM button, rewarded with static, and replied to Tarturus's previous statement, "I was born prepared."

His chuckle filled the bridge; "We'll see about that."

* * *

**-Lex-**

Walking beside John is like walking past a skyscraper; though now none of those exist, and the few that do are crumbled inward. Even then, you still get an odd, ominous feeling as pass by them. John seemed to emit that same feeling.

We were walking in silence, towards the building my mother worked within. John was walking beside me, yet I could tell that he'd rather be far ahead, battling some alien bastards. I could tell that he didn't want to be stuck with me, and when I stated this, he shrugged, still expressionless. "Orders are orders. I'll do whatever it is that I'm assigned."

I frowned at that, "Don't you ever, you know, feel like doing something fun? Something different then following the rules?"

His eyes rested on me, blank as the ones of a statue, and I got my answer within his gaze; _No_.

We walked on in silence.

As we entered the rundown hotel, an ODST stated he'd lead the way, and we followed him, up the winding stairs leading to the top floor. While the ODST, whose name I discovered was Jason, and I spoke, John remained silent, occasionally nodding or shaking his head if a question was sent his way. For some reason, he was making me furious. Why didn't he just join in on the conversation? Offer his knowledge or thoughts? If I was to be stuck working with him, he was going to have to learn to talk like a normal human person, even if that involved him shouting at me to snap out of it as he was doing now. My head whipped up, meeting his eyes. He nodded his head in the direction of the door we were standing outside of, and we entered.

Inside, there were multiple tables, all lined with numerous weapons, some that I had never seen before. The first gun that caught my attention, though, was a large green one. It was about the size of a Covenant fuel rod canon, which I had once red about. My hands reached out, yet it was too heavy for me to pick up off the table. My eyes shot to Jason, who smirked, "That's a Spartan Laser. The name comes from the fact that no one _but_ the Spartans seem to be able to carry it."

My eyes rested on John, who was at the far end of the table, holding a green helmet in his hands. Silently, he pulled it over his head, and almost instantly he relaxed. Perhaps seeing through the orange tinted visor made him more comfortable. I glanced at Jason quickly, raising my eyebrows. He came to stand beside me, whispering, "The Master Chief rarely goes anywhere without his armor. The fact that he had it off for you means that Catherine ordered him to do it."

My eyes must have widened, for Jason shot me a curious look, "That's the Master Chief?" I whispered quickly. When Jason nodded, I murmured, "I thought finding out the Spartans were real was a big thing, but now I discover I've been talking to one of the most famous men alive? And I didn't even know."

Jason laughed, and I shot him an angry look, "Oh, come on, Lex. If you would have seen the emotion on your face, you would have laughed, too."

I smirked, and when a loud thump interuptted my thoughts, looked up in John's,_ The Master Chief's_, direction. Instead of seeing the large man towering a few feet away, there was now a gargantuan being, coated in green armor plating with one large orange eye stretching across his entire helmet. It took me a few seconds to pick my jaw up off the floor and to get the flash of fear to clean itself from my features. "No wonder the Covenant are scared of you."

John's voice crackled out of the helmet's speakers, "Indeed."

And now I understand why he barely speaks.

His voice, which I had originally thought to be amplified, practically echoed throughout the entire room. It was, most likely, that coupled with the fact that he was used to spending all of his time hunting down and killing aliens that made him antisocial. I sympathized.

We stood there for a moment, until Jason decided it was time we got ready to go. He quickly helped me into my ODST armor, strapped a sniper rifle to my back and handed me a standard battle rifle, along with a pouch of some extra ammo. "We're gonna kick ass today," he said, the grin evident in his voice.

My visor shot across the helmet, cutting off both Jason AND the Master Chief's view of my face. "Indeed." I murmured, watching to see if John would even acknowledge that the word was directed to him.

He didn't.

* * *

Later, with everyone strapped into a Pelican, I finally got to meet my idol. He was sitting in a seat at the end of the Pelican's bridge, eyes on the floor, with the Master Chief sitting across from him.

His armor was silver, with odd yet beautiful etchings dug into it. The flesh you could see between the armor's panels and in the places where it was to show was an odd gray color, in certain lights looking brown. His split mandibles moved in synchronization when he murmured something to the Master Chief, and his golden eyes flickered around the bridge in silent contemplation.

The Arbiter had been, ever since I'd discovered that he existed, my favorite hero.

And now he was sitting merely two feet away from me.

I had followed his story as if he was a god. From his disgrace within the Covenant to his joining sides with the UNSC, he was practically the protagonist in a very well developed story. I loved everything about him; in, of course, a non-romantic way.

Silently, I leaned over, murmuring to Jason, who was sitting beside me, "Catherine never mentioned that we'd be working with the Arbiter."

I could hear Jason laugh, "You know the Arbiter?"

"Know _of_ him. I don't actually know him. I've idolized him for years."

Once more, I could hear the smile in Jason's voice, "Beware. He's a standoffish kinda guy…alien."

"I'm persistent."

"Really? How persistent?"

"I used to follow the ENTIRE _I Love Bees _website uploads and files. Even when it was considered not cool I tried to figure the story out. I could have given up."

Jason's curiosity rang through his voice this time, "Just how old are you? That site has been down forever."

I shrugged, my eyes leaving Jason's helmet, glancing at the Arbiter. "Old enough to be a Lieutenant."

So, the rest of the ride went by in silence. I couldn't figure it out. Never had I been so close to someone who I had thought to be my only idol in the universe, never in my life had I wanted to make someone who seemed like a recluse talk to me, and never in my life had I gone on a mission where I'd actually have to kill something other then an insect.

I was scared.

------- _**To Be Continued**_


	3. Forging Plans

**Chapter Three;**

Forging Plans.

_So, this chapter was actually really difficult to write. Riek, definitely, is the main sorce of this problem. I'm starting to think that this story should only be from Lex's point of view...but Riek keeps it interesting at the same time. I know Jason is going to have his moments of fame, because I do plan on writing from his POV...I just don't know. Any ideas on how to make Riek less...alien? It'd be appreciated! Anyhow, please enjoy this chapter; once again and until this story concludes, sorry for the length._

* * *

**-Lex-**

Everything was...strange.

From the moment my feet touched the ground, I was running to try and keep up with everyone in the squad, huffing and puffing the entire way. Pleased with himself, Jason jogged along beside me, going on about some sort of mission story that he said made him a war hero in everyone's eyes. Usually, I would have found a conversation with this seemingly interested male enticing; now, I just wanted him to shut his mouth so I could focus on breathing in and out.

I've never been in shape. Back in the day, when school wasn't all about aliens and the different colonies, physical education had definitely been my weak point. Even when we had easy units, like exertion training and weight lifting, I failed. So you can see why trying to keep up with well trained soldiers and having to deal with what I assumed to be a five pound gun strapped to my back was incredibly difficult for me. But not nearly as difficult as when the squad positioned themselves in an outcropping of rock, a large canyon with a beautiful savanna farther below, where I was told to take aim.

Hesitantly, I kneeled, taking the gun into my hands, knowing that I was being warily watched by all my fellow ODST's, John, and the Arbiter.

This, of course, didn't stop my hands from trembling. Quite the opposite, actually.

I could hear Jason laughing under his breath as he stepped towards me, crouched beside me, placing his hands over mine, directing me with a whisper of orders. I wanted, desperately, to smack him. He was becoming oddly irritating. Yet, of course, I refrained from striking him, glancing over my shoulder instead to see John watching me intently, eyes seeming to burn behind the visor of his helmet. I felt the fear flash into my eyes, and I quickly focused back on the seemingly empty field that we were surveying. Why were we here? Well, as Jason put it, with me as a new member of the squad and a definite liability (he didn't say liability, but I could tell that that's what he meant), we were momentarily forced to be on scouting duty. I found this absurd, "Why do we have the Arbiter AND Master Chief, then?"

To this, the Arbiter responded with a chuckle, "You're a necessity, human. Our goal is to make sure you do not fall."

I, of course, nearly fell as soon as I realized he was directly addressing me.

Nervously, I bit my lip, sending a glance at Jason, "Can I pull the trigger? As a test?"

He glanced over his own shoulder now, eyes full of the word No, yet when he received the thumbs up from one of his buddies, quickly swallowed back the decline and nodded, "You sure you can do it?"

I scoffed, "Of course."

I lied.

Evidently, guns this size were not meant for girls my size to operate. I tried, endlessly, surrounded by encouraging eyes and smiles, yet I could not pull the trigger. Frustrated, I tried using two fingers and putting everything I had into the pull.

When the the bullet whistled out of the chamber and into the air with a crack, I nearly fell over from the force. Jason and everyone else burst into laughter. Even the Arbiter had what I could only consider an amused expression plastered across his face.

Yet John, stoic as he was, simply crossed his arms.

I let out a sigh, "We should continue...no times for breaks."

Jason hastily wiped a tear from his eye, trying to refrain from laughing, "S-sure, Lex. Let's g-go."

After quickly helping me settle the gun back on it's holster across my shoulders, Jason was off, laughing with his buddies, leaving me what felt like miles behind, but was truly only three feet. I couldn't complain. The peaceful surroundings made for a nice hike, and the echoes of laughter bouncing off that canyon's walls made everything feel surreal.

I didn't notice the shadow following me until an oddly misshapen hand slipped from behind and covered my mouth, biting into my skin.

Of course, I tried to scream, and I kicked like crazy, but the creature behind me simply applied more pressure, cutting off my every breath. With the distance between us now, there was no way that the rest of my squad would hear me if I even had the chance.

Suddenly, as if out of the air, a form materialized before me, and I internally gasped as I took in the sight.

He bowed slightly, muttering in a deep voice that only the Covenant had, "Hello, human. I am Riek 'Lasamee," his mandibles seemed to split in what I considered a smirk, "Pleasure to meet your acquaintance."

I felt the breath aching to scratch out of my lungs, and I tried, desperately, to bite down on the hand covering my mouth, and when I succeeded, he took his hand off my mouth, instead grasping only my neck in a tight embrace.

I gathered all the breath in my lungs and screamed, "You bastard! John! Jason! Arbiter!"

The last name died on my lips as the Brute clutching me regained his composure and covered my mouth once more, letting out what I could only consider a growl. Now, though, I was watching Riek 'Lasamee, watching as his mandibles clicked, his eyes narrowed, his head cocked in the direction of my comrades, "The Arbiter is here?"

His expression was enough to make the blood inside me boil, and I struggled as he directed the brute, "Take her to the ship...I'll decide her fate after I complete my business with the Arbiter."

* * *

**-Riek 'Lasamee-**

I saw the demon before the squad following me had the chance to open fire, as I knew they had intended to do. The shock of seeing him aside the Arbiter was baffling beyond years, and I silently prayed to the Hierarches. This mission they had sent me on seemed to be more of a death trap then something I would ever succeed at. With bitter contempt, I clicked my invisibility on, silently slipping into the group. Of all the things these aliens were, quick wit was definitely not one of their qualities. Not only had they neglected to realize that they had lost a sniper, they could not even tell that I was a silent companion to their group, and that I was closing in on my target fast.

The invisible Unggoy behind the humans were whispering amongst themselves, and although the ears around them seemed deaf to their voices, their every word was clear to me. They wanted the demon, the Master Chief, dead as soon as possible. Too bad for them, I thought almost bitterly. I had to become "one" with the Arbiter, first. Then...then I would let them do whatever damage it was they intended on inflicting upon the superhuman.

I could tell, at this point, that the Arbiter was alerted of my presence. His neck moved from left to right, eyes trailing every which way, mandibles snapping. Beside him, the Master Chief's eyes ranged around, and he gently nudged the Arbiter, letting a small shrug roll of his shoulder. The movement sickened me. Everything about him sickened me. I could have shot him dead right then, and the rifle in my hand shook with the temptation, but I could feel my control over the invisibility wearing thin, and risking the attack and exposing myself with already drained armor was not an option. I silently cursed the counsil for the faulty armor I was forced to wear.

With a silent hand motion, I gestured for the Unggoy to return to the ship, and their unhappy chatter made a dark scowl form across my features. Bitterly, they slipped off. And I followed, casting an almost longing look over my shoulder at the Arbiter. I quickly tuned into what the group was saying, and upon discovering where they were headed, another deserted plain not too far from the one they were currently residing in, I knew that I was soon to complete the first part of mission. All I had to do now was convince the human girl that I was not going to hurt her, and somehow get her to comply to my every demand.

Never had I known how easy this task would actually be.

When I finally returned to the ship, the Unggoy remaining on board had the human strapped to a gurney like structure, where she thrashed and cursed words that were unintelligible. Although I had over time begun to grasp the entire alien tongue, there were still words that proved difficult for I to understand. From Tarturus's reaction, who was leaning against the wall sneering, I knew the words she spoke were nothing to worry over.

She spotted me, and instantly I knew the message she was trying to communicate; "Let me free, you bastard! John will come and kill you all! The Master Chief will save me! And the Arbiter?! I'll laugh as the Arbiter tears you apart with his bare hands!" And so continued her useless barrage of words and thrashing, and I could not help but feel a flash of sympathy for the lesser being. Her actions made it quite evident that she knew nothing of the danger she had managed to put herself in.

Silently, I tilted my head in Tarturus's direction, an acknowledgment of his presence. He grunted. I knew he was not too pleased by the fact that the Hierarchs had rewarded me for my success; I now had more control over a fleet then Tarturus himself did.

With a exhalation, I perambulated towards the human, close enough that, if she were out of restraints, she would be able to slit my throat at her will with ease.

I leaned over her, gazing into her face, and in return, she spat into mine. A hiss escaped me before I could contain it, my clawlike hands instantly taking her throat in their grasp, watching with bitter amusement as she gasped and let out her own hisses of fear and pain. I held her for a prolonged period of time, staring down at her, and before I allowed her to lose conciousness, let her free. She was much less vocal now, allowing me the chance to finally instruct her on what it was she was to be doing while under my presence.

"You, human, have been tediously selected to participate in a war effort aiding the Covenant. Should you refuse to comply, I, as an honorable member of the Covenant, will be pleased to enforce what is needed upon you. If complying is something you continuely fail to do, I will gladly make this shorter for you; only the journey you will embark upon will be no where near as satisfying as the one I plan on attending after my time is complete. Understood?"

With haste, the girl nodded, and I could not help but notice the odd smile that flashed upon Tarturus's face. My own pleasure was evident by the throaty chuckle I expelled before continuing on with the rehearsed orders.

"With that settled, I should inform you, briefly, of the mission we have planned for you starting this very second. Yet, there is something in desperate need of clarity," I leaned close to her face, watching with amusement as she cringed, "When we let you mingle with the enemy for your tasks, you are not to utter a single word of this plan. You do not know anything more of the Covenant then that of which you knew upon being dragged into this room. Everything we speak of here is classified information. If you betray us, you will be branded with heresy, scorned while every being within these walls laughs at your pain, which you will have deserved. Understood?"

Again, she nodded, and Tarturus and I shared a look of satisfaction, which was what urged me to continue, "You are to be known throughout the Covenant races as Nihilist. If you are ever asked to identify yourself before a different member within us, you are to reply with this title. No other details should be shared with anyone unless you have been granted my permission. Now, I shall inform you of your current duties, and you shall listen with the utmost scrutiny and alertness." I took a deep breath, "You are to infiltrate the human base, as if you were an ever loyal member of the race as you were before this rendezvous. With haste, you are to earn the 'Master Chief' and the Arbiter's trust, along with that of all the other members in your squad. After time, you will listen to my orders, and you will corner the Arbiter alone. This is when you will call me into action, and after I complete my part of the plan, you and I shall easily get everything else sorted out and completed with haste. Understood?" She responded with a whimper, and I slowly stepped closer, staring down into the eyes she had, full of fear, confusion, understanding, emotions that were not common within the walls of_ Exile's Atrophy_. But now, with her on our side, the plan we had was to soon be a distant memory...maybe we would be able to feel once more.

The Great Journey was finally being pieced back together.

**_------- To Be Continued_**


	4. Bitter Revelations

**Chapter Four;**

Bitter Revelations.

_I have to say: I loved writing this chapter. Don't know why. Still, I hope you love reading it! Please R/R. I'm not sure if I'll continue this story, so I definitely need some feedback. Especially about John. Does he talk too much? Seem out of character? Let me know!_

* * *

-**Lex**-

At this point, my eyes were burning with effort as I stalked back into base. Riek had put together the perfect costume; my clothes was torn, tattered, covered in the blood of a grunt that Tarturus had become angered with. I looked like I had gotten in some sort of scuffle, yet had come out the victor. What I encountered while away, though, made me feel far from victorious, and my eyes almost watered with tears I was forcing myself not to shed.

Everyone was waiting in the lobby when I stumbled inside, and I was bombarded with an unexpected hug from my mother. It took all of my strength to hug her back and not break down. I had never been one to cry, never one to relish within public displays of affection, yet my barries were so worn down that it seemed I was optionless. I acted on impulse and fear.

Through the fog within my mind, my mother's voice came to me, "Oh, Lexianna! We were worried. Everyone. I, of course, was the most worried, and yet...oh, Lex! You're all covered in blood!" She pulled away, holding me at arms length, and I was overwhelmed by the concern evident in her eyes, "What happened?"

"I...I was kidnapped, so to speak. Held hostage for a short time. I got past a few of the guards...I wouldn't go down without a fight..." Riek and I had practiced this speech for hours until it sounded realistic, sincere. My voice shook and cracked at the perfect moments, eyes finally spilled some tears. Honestly, if I was a normal girl with a normal family, I definitely would have taken up acting as my career of choice.

As soon as Catherine dropped my arms and stepped back, I was nearly knocked over by the force of Jason's hug, and I couldn't stop a gasp from passing my lips. His words were rushing out faster then I could catch them, and I struggled to keep up. "...worried. So worried! Lex! You should have shouted or something! Never leave a comrade, that's what I was taught, yet I let them take you..." I tuned him out then, glancing over his shoulder at John, who had his helmet off, watching the exchange with hooded eyes.

Getting past his barriers was going to be even more difficult then anything I had endured in the last few hours.

* * *

The smell within the cryobay was sickening. I gagged for multiple reasons after awaking from my 'sleep', and it didn't just have to do with the liquid within my lungs. Glancing at a nearby clock, I couldn't help but stifle a gasp at the time. I'd been out for over twenty hours. Practically an entire day!

My mother had insisted on a 'cryo-nap', saying I needed rest after my excursion. I hated Riek twenty times more then I thought possible now. I made a mental note to stay out of cryobays for the rest of my time here.

Haphazardly, I stumbled away from the cryotube, taking in my sights, analyzing the seemingly brand new uniform sitting on a nearby table. It had the insignia of a liutenant, and an old, long outdated purple heart was pinned below it. I rolled my eyes. Honestly, my mother had a bitter sense of humor, seeing how I hadn't earned a single wound from my encounter.

Expelling a sigh, I dragged the crisp uniform towards me, pulling it on numbly. The cloth was warm, and I knew it had recently been ironed. Who had that duty, I wondered. After making sure I looked somewhat presentable, I tugged my boots on, lacing them and then pulling my hair out of my collar. Seeing how I had no brush nearby, I let it hang down, where it just crested the small of my back. Taking a deep breath, I exited that bay, making my way towards the bridge.

Everyone who I walked past bowed their head in respect, and it took every ounce of effort in my body to not scream at them. So when I finally walked into the bridge, my eyes were glaring at everyone, and my tongue was swollen from having been bitten multiple times to refrain myself.

My mother was standing there beside a man I had never met. He was tall, graying, but very alert of his surroundings. He had a gentle face, though he was all angles. On his opposite side stood John, and the aforementioned man had all his attention. My curiosity was definitely piqued, and I cleared my throat.

Catherine turned, and she smiled brightly, eyes full of something I couldn't seem to understand, "Lexianna! So good to see you up! Enjoying the ship?"

"It's definitely...disorienting."

Waking up in a ship that had previously been on the ground definitely made my legs weak.

My mother's smile was full of understanding, and then she laughed, gesturing to the man beside her, "Forgive me for my rudeness! Lexianna, this is Captain Frederick DeLong. He's one of the greatest members of the UNSC," Was that what I thought I heard in her voice? "Captain, this is my daughter, Lexianna."

Frederick's smile was almost as crisp as his uniform, and incredibly infectious. His smile was mirrored as he extended his hand, and I took it with haste, "It's a pleasure, sir."

He laughed, the sound resonating, "I believe the pleasure is all mine, Lexianna. You're mother speaks very fondly of you. I feel like I know you already." He pulled his hand away, smile wavering, "With that said, I definitely wish I didn't have to burden you, yet it feels as if time is definitely on my coat tails. Hence forth, I need the assistance of you and the Master Chief as soon as possible." Frederick looked sympathetic, "This is quite the emergency, and I'm sorry that you're being deployed to deal with it now, at such a young age."

My eyes were wide, and I shot a glance at John. Expressionless. "What is it? What's going on?"

"The Arbiter...he's been captured. By who, we aren't sure." Catherine wrung her hands before continuing, "A nearby Covenant ship has been sneaking into our sights for awhile." As if on cue, the screen the three had been previously studying flashed with images and scrolled with numbers.

A little to the left of the monitor, an AI flashed to life on a pedestal. His appearance almost mocked Frederick's, though he was evidently more youthful, his voice more clipped and self-assured, with a heavy Russian accent, "Really, I believe you're all over-analyzing the entire situation. Perhaps you'd like to review our schematics, Captain, for otherwise there is no reason for you or your little aspirant to get your hands dirty." I already disliked him.

Frederick seemed to share my antipathy; he pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration, "You've been saying the same things for hours, Cadwallader. Perhaps you'd like to review the schematics as well. We're out of options at this point." He dropped his hand, eyes glancing at me pointedly, "With the Covenant shadowing us, we have no options but to engage. The only thing; with the ship not yet causing a threat, our reasons seem...egocentric. Everyone seems to believe that we'd start a war by attacking, but that by catching the ship by surprise, we'd undoubtedly win. Still, with the Arbiter AWOL, it seems we have no choice but to engage. We're, most definitely, in the middle of mass confusion"--Cadwallader snorted--"but we're trying our best. We've decided to investigate. You and the Master Chief alone will be our recon."

"...no ODSTS? The rest of my squad..."

"They will stay here." Cadwallader snapped, before the power to his pedestal was cut off; I thanked Catherine for clicking the switch. So, it seemed, did John and Frederick.

"You'll be in the best of hands, Lex." My mother tried to soothe my fried nerves; she didn't succeed. Far from it, actually.

Instead of letting everyone on the bridge see the tension lacing my form, I straightened up, squaring my shoulders and putting on a brave face, "When do we leave?"

My mother's hands clapped together, a look of pride shading her features, and Frederick's look of relief made me feel like I was about to take on the world, "As soon as you're properly suited up. You're dismissed."

I nodded, briskly, snapped a salute, and turned from the bridge, feeling John fall into step beside me. When we were long out of earshot, I murmured, "I'm not ready for this. At all." I glanced up at him as we walked, feeling my walls collapsing in his presence, seeing his helmetted skull cocked in my direction. I couldn't help but wonder how, in the short amount of time I had known him, though I knew not a thing about him and it irked me, I had grown to trust him implicitly. Maybe it was all the words that my friend Riek had been putting into my brain, "Are you?"

He rolled his shoulders in response, "Always."

The rest of our walk dropped into silence.

I truly envied him within that moment.

* * *

When we arrived in the weapons room, I vowed to get John to talk. No matter what it was going to take, I would learn something about him before we left this room, this ship.

He was, most definitely, not making this easy, though.

With a huff, I pushed myself up, sitting on the edge of the weapon's table while John picked up guns, inspecting them, before placing them back on the table and surveying another. Meticulous. Check.

I felt his eyes on me through the visor, and I smiled innocently, practically feeling his frustration against my skin. Easily irked. Check.

"Why are you staring?"

I put my hand to my heart in mock amazement, letting out a gasp, "Good Lord! He talks!"

I snickered as John placed the gun on the table, head tilted completely in my direction, and watched with a mild curiosity as he pulled his helmet from his head, giving me a look that more or less explained to me that he wanted this mission to just to be over with so he could drop me off and forget I ever existed. So I thought.

"Comical."

If a voice with no emotion could be sarcastic, then that was definitely him expressing sarcasm to it's full extent.

"Tell me something, John: how'd you get into the alien killing business? Surely you had other career options in mind."

His jaw tightened, and I could sense he was about to lapse back into pretending I was invisible, so I changed my tactic, trying to sound like I was morbidly curious. Which, in reality, I was, "When I think about...I just know that I'd never really want to choose this. I mean, I was forced into this job. I think I want to be an actress. Really. And...it just...well, makes me wonder if you ever thought of what you might wanna be, if you weren't a Spartan."

He looked like he was thinking as he placed his helmet on the table, hands spread and palms down, eyes trying to scan my expression, figure out my intentions. He seemed as if he was a master at reading people. It sent my nerves into haywire, made my pulse race. I tried to keep my face void of emotion.

"This is what I want." The words were simple: I didn't believe him for a second.

"Now, maybe. But, you know, there had to have been a time when you were growing up..." As soon as I said the words, I regretted them. The pain that seemed to trail across John's features, even if only there momentarily, crushed me. He looked...broken. "I'm sorry," I murmured, not sure why the words were passing my lips, "Forget I asked."

I looked away just as John murmured, "I didn't get the chance to grow up outside the UNSC."

My eyes were full of disbelief as I glanced at him, seeing the emotion he struggled to keep dormant, "You mean you grew up here? Your parents..." He was shaking his head, and it took all of my effort to keep my voice from shaking, "When did you become a trainee?"

"Age six."

I knew the shock was clear across my features, for John looked away, showing more emotion then I had ever seen anyone express. "I, too, was forced into this."

My mind wandered back to Riek. He had firmly told me that he knew something was off about John. That no one was ever as stoic as he was naturally; usually there was emotion behind that fortification, so much emotion that it tended to make people fall into themselves as the only person they could trust. Now I knew just how right he had been.

Without thought, my hand covered John's gauntleted one, and I bit my tongue from letting the witty remarks pass my lips. "I'm sorry."

He pulled his hand from mine, shaking his head. "Not your fault."

Maybe getting to know John had its disadvantages. I knew now: he had more of a life story then half of the war heroes before him. And I was supposed to carry all of that on my shoulders, try to get past all of the emotions his stories brought into me.

For, right now, I wanted to break down and cry.

My mother...she'd stolen John's life from him.

Every amount of hatred I held for her replenished itself within my heart. How could she have done this to him...? And everyone else? All the other Spartans...they, too...had they been just as young? And she'd stolen everything they had from beneath them, turned them into killing machines, prey that ended up being torn down by predators too strong for them to handle at once. She had their blood on her hands.

I was seething, I knew, and John seemed to sense it, "It's fine."

"No...no, it's not. It's wrong. You...you had a life...do you remember it? Remember being a normal six-year-old?"

John thought, then shook his head, something akin to regret crossing his features before his blank expression returned. I wish he showed how he was feeling more often: it shattered the facade of eeriness that surrounded his entire being. It allowed him to look more human.

I bit my lip, forcing back a sigh. Poor John...his life...

I couldn't help but imagine him as a six-year-old boy, swinging on a swing set while his mother pushed him back and forth, the both of them laughing merrily. The smile I pictured on his face...had they really robbed him of all emotion at such an age? Had my mother really done this to him? And...why was John still so faithful to her? Didn't he realize what she had done?

His expression was scrutinizing when I looked back at him. I could practically feel him reading me like an open book, and the bitter anger that surfaced was not against him. It was against the people who had done this to him.

With a surge of energy, I jumped from the table, boots hitting the floor with a satisfying _smack_, "You know what, John? I'm gonna help you get your life back."

John's head tilted, and he looked at me as if I was a member of the Covenant. I kind of was, I suppose. I wonder if he could sense _that_.

"I'm gonna teach you how to feel. How to live. Come on, what do you say? It'll be fun!"

His eyes were narrowed, brows scrunched together, and he was shaking his head before I even had completed what I was saying. Just like that, he was back to being stoic. "My job isn't to feel."

Grrr...I wanted to slap him. Too bad he chose that moment to put his helmet back on, chose a gun, and head towards the door, gesturing for me to select my own weapon and carry on. I grunted, grabbing a battle rifle and a magnum, strapping the pistol to my thigh and the rifle to my back, then following him, thinking about what I was going to do to get him to trust me the way I did him.

Getting him to even hold a conversation with me was exhilarating.

I tried to not let it get to my head as we walked, side-by-side, to where a Pelican was waiting by the ship's back doors.

My mother's smile was too bright for me to handle, and I returned it with a glare of my own, eyes practically burning with anger. She seemed to sense my hatred; her smile wavered, then failed altogether.

Frederick, on the other hand, earned a bright smile from me, and I shook his hand for the second time as he wished us luck. I couldn't help but try to analyze the way my mother looked at him, the way her eyes lit up. It was...odd. Completely and totally out of character for someone who practically murders children.

Then I couldn't help but wonder...what did she see when she watched me look at John?

I bit my tongue.

Curiosity got the best of me, and I tuned into Frederick's words as he addressed John, handing him a memory chip, "...may come in handy. I know he can be frustrating, but he's the best we've got. Take care of him. Bring him back in one piece, and he'll do the same for you."

Curtly, John nodded, place the memory chip into a slot within the back of his helmet. He waited for a moment, no change visible, until the outer speakers on his helmet crackled to life and a familiar voice spoke up, "Well, well. Your armor is faulty. I'm surprised I expected otherwise."

Oh, yippee. Cadwallader was joining us. So much for one-on-one conversation.

This was going to be exciting.

------- _**To Be Continued**_


	5. Set It Off

**Chapter Five:**

Set It Off

_A/N__: Been awhile, eh? You know, I just haven't been struck with a creative spark for this story. My ideas have died. I've been obsessed with Mass Effect, and contemplating writing a story surrounding that universe. Then I decided I'd kind of like to finish this story, first. It won't be very long…maybe ten more chapters? And then I'll feel accomplished, and be able to write some MORE smut =) This chapter is kind of filler, and kind of…fluffy, at first. There is a battle in here, though, that I am proud to say I wrote. In fact, it was really fun to write. As always, feedback is VERY appreciated. I thank you all of you who have reviewed previously. It's nice to know someone enjoys reading my stories =)_

* * *

-**Lex**-

Resting my pistol between my gloved palms as I examined it, I let my thoughts wander.

All around me, the Pelican whirred, and John conversed with Cadwallader in the confines of his helmet, focusing entirely on everything but little old me. I mean, who was I when in comparison to battle schematics? No one. And that was fine. I had too much going through my head to care about John then, despite witnessing the occasional glances he shot my way.

So many questions…and I definitely didn't have the answers.

Why had they taken the Arbiter without my help, as planned? Where was he located inside the huge ship? What would they do to John and me when we entered it?

Riek would be pleased, I knew. Here I was, bringing John straight to his door, practically giving him away. I was far from completing the task I had been given…John didn't trust me. With the broken state he was in, I wasn't sure he ever would. I wasn't like him. I wasn't a super soldier who would always have his back when the fighting got tough. Far from it, actually: I was a girl, who didn't even know how to shoot a weapon without falling backwards. I didn't have armor and shields and voices in my head that would tell me what to do. Compared to him, I was completely normal.

He was far from it. In fact, I'd even venture to say that John was extraordinary.

Shaking my head, I dropped the pistol into my lap, resting my elbows on my knees and my head in my hands. This wasn't right. I didn't want to betray John. I didn't want to know him because I was being forced to. I did want to know him because I found him fascinating. He was like a book that you've never read, yet heard good things about. And I wanted to know his story. I wanted to be his friend. Just that. So what if he didn't trust me implicitly? I could trust him. I mean, who did he have to tell things to? No one. And I could listen, and help, and prod if need be. The small piece of him he had revealed to me earlier was proof of that.

I glanced up to find John watching me.

By now, I could sense when his eyes were on me through his visor. I could tell that I was being watched. And who else was here? No one but John and Cadwallader, who was nothing but bytes and motes of dust. So I offered conversation, "What do you think we'll find in there?"

Cadwallader's voice crackled through John's exterior speakers, "Lots of aliens right off the bat. What does it matter to you? You won't kill a single one."

John shook his head infinitesimally before adding his own thought, "The Covenant are smarter than that. Everyone will be in a disclosed location. They're doing this to lure us in."

"Why would they want the Arbiter, anyway? I mean, what use will Brutes and Grunts get from a soldier sworn to help us?" My words rushed out, cutting Cadwallader off. I could hear him grumble through the speakers, and I smirked in satisfaction.

"Anything."

"They could be using him to infiltrate us," Cadwallader added.

I hated that Cadwallader was right. More than that…I hated that I couldn't tell John what was in store for him upon entering the ship_, Exile's Atrophy_.

The silence we lapsed into was far from comfortable. Every nerve in my body was going haywire.

This was horrible. This was a disaster. I had committed _treason_, and I was about to break someone who was already broken. How could one man with so much on his shoulders already endure something as terrible as the stuff that I knew Riek was planning for John?

I knew John was a super soldier. I knew he had faced impossible odds before. But now...Perhaps I was just being pessimistic. Yeah. Let's just stick with that.

Darryl's voice cracked over the Pelican's speakers, "Prepare to drop. ETA two minutes."

I stiffened at the words. This was it.

…now, why the hell am I panicking? My hands shouldn't be shaking.

_Damn __it, Lex, stay frosty. _

As I collected myself, the Pelican swooped slightly before coming to a halt.

I yanked my helmet on, huffing as I did so, and then strapped the pistol to my thigh. I nodded to John once, and as if on cue, the ramp slowly opened, a doorway from the safe confines of the gravity filled Pelican to that of the huge expanse of space outside.

Darryl's voice resonated through the Pelican once more, "Alright, off ya go…be safe, little sister."

I swallowed, hard, and John's eyes seemed to pierce through me as I stood, legs shaking. I would have fallen over if he hadn't been there: as soon as I stepped forward, John was beside me. He allowed me to lean against him, and I couldn't help but whisper, "I'm scared."

Through his visor, his eyes were full of understanding. I could _feel it_, reassuring me andconvincing me that this wasn't the end of the world. It's too bad that he didn't realize just how much it was for me. "You're job isn't to feel, either."

Confusion flooded my features momentarily, until the words sank in. Our conversation, back on the ship before we left…why did that feel as if it were a life time ago? I was about to ask John, but he was looking at me peculiarly. It took me too long to realize what he had planned, "John, don't –"

Cadwallader's laugh was the last thing I heard before John pushed me out of the Pelican.

* * *

As much as I hated my armor, the silly ODST mask was, truly, the only reason I survived the fall from the Pelican to the ship. I'd have to make sure my mother was thanked for insisting that I put the silly armor on in the first place.

I never realized how close John was behind me until I felt his hand scrape my shoulder. It was a simple gesture, almost an apology. But when I glanced at him I could practically feel his laughter. John. Laughing. It was a step forward, and I'd take it, even if he was laughing at me.

I had to laugh along. It seemed as if the moment warranted it. But, within a second, John was back to business. His boots skidded against the ship's exterior, and he glanced around for a moment before using the ship as a walkway, heading towards the ship's cargo hold. I followed him, though I refused to us the ship. Zero gravity was too cool to let old methods get in the way. I floated behind him, humming as he stalked purposefully across the ship. Only when I saw where he was heading did I realize what his goal was: lining the cargo bay were windows.

I knew that the glass would be strongly reinforced…and, yet, I was far from surprised when John's raised fist shattered it in one, swift punch. He glanced back at me quickly, before slipping through the window. I watched as he extended his hand…and I took it, allowing him to pull me aboard. "Well, we're in. Are we gonna seal up the window?"

John glanced around quickly before spying a piece of abandoned metal. He hefted it easily enough, placing it against the window with a small sound of satisfaction, "Perfect fit."

I snorted, pulling my pistol from its fastenings and scanning it quickly with my eyes, "I sure hope you have enough ammo to pull off a full blown assault, if necessary. But, then again, they're not here now. Maybe you were right about the whole disclosed location thing…and Cadwallader was _wrong_."

John chuckled, and Cadwallader snorted, "I'm_ never_ wrong, girl."

"Nor am I." John added, and a smile tugged at my lips of its own accord.

So went the rest of our ship exploration. I never ceased making jabs at Cadwallader, and John always sided with me, be I wrong or right. I had to admit…I had been so nervous about this mission. John and I, aboard the enemy ship…and I was overwhelmingly surprised that we hadn't come across a single Covenant troop. Not even Riek had come to rain our parade yet. And parading we were indeed.

John and I marched, side by side, as Cadwallader gave us directions to the holding cells through the speakers on John's helmet. We were quite the duo: the big bad Spartan with the voice in his head and his little ODST sidekick who couldn't handle a fire arm if her life depended on it. But that didn't matter to me.

What mattered was that John was showing himself to me. He was smiling, laughing, nudging me on occasion just to get my attention before gesturing to something he thought I'd find beautiful (they may be our enemies, but the Covenant sure do know how to make a ship look pretty. Purples, blues, silvers…lovely). I don't know what brought the transformation forward…but it was welcome.

Now if only he'd _talk_ more often. He had to realize that, after a while, conversations with ornery AI's became incredibly boring.

All the same, it was interesting. From Cadwallader, I learned quite a bit. He definitely proved how wrong I was when I told him that my left pinky had a better grasp at the ship's layout then he did. He was incredible.

"Proceed with caution: scanners detect enemy movement on the other side of the door to your left."

I glanced at John quickly, "Should we engage?"

His response was curt nod.

* * *

Now, if only Cadwallader would have told us how many enemies there were. Battle rifles ready, John took point, stepping through the door and instantly to the left. I followed his example, standing behind him as he glanced around, "Any movement?"

As if on cue, a Grunt strolled from behind an enemy wraith. As soon as he saw John, he shrieked, reaching for his Plasma Pistol. John downed him with a headshot: a three bullet burst to the skull, blue blood splattering the Wraith in a waterfall of color. I grimaced.

From that one kill, a firefight erupted.

John sprinted forward, using the Wraith for cover, directing me to do the same. As I moved forward, a shock of plasma grazed my right shoulder, melting my armor and splattering blood against a nearby bulkhead, eliciting an audible gasp from my lips. It took me some effort, but I put fire behind my movements then, finally bridging the gap between the Wraith and I and sliding in beside John. He spared a glance at me…then did a double take. He looked as if he were about to ask questions, but I shook my head, gesturing for him to keep fighting. Fingers of my right hand pressed against the wound, I pivoted, raking the nearby Grunts with bullets. They fell, swiftly, and were quickly taken out when John tossed in a frag grenade.

Cannon fodder out of the way, the true enemy came to play. A swarm of Brutes slipped into the room, momentarily unseen due to their shaky cloaking abilities. As I spotted one and pulled the trigger, pain shot through my shoulder, and my face twisted, gun falling from my hand as I, finally, rifled through the pack strapped to my shoulders for the biofoam I needed to ensure my participation. Beside me, John's shields crackled beneath the needle fire from the Brutes' strikers, and the audible beeping informed me that his shields were down. As the biofoam filled my wound and sealed it, I snatched my gun, popping up again, concentrating on taking out the nearest Brute and allowing John time for his shields to recharge. The Brute, on the other hand, had other ideas: before I could even shout, a spike grenade attached itself to the Wraith…right above my head. I nearly screamed in frustration as I dodged out of the way…for no reason. John, who now had a firm grip on the grenade, tossed it back, giving the Brute a taste of his own medicine.

The grenade adhered itself to the Brute's armor who, upon noticing the obtrusion, dropped his striker and struggled to pull the grenade from its location on his chest. He noticed two minutes too late: the grenade exploded, spikes shattering through the Brute's armor, puncturing his organs, and, luckily, hitting another nearby Brute and causing him to stagger backwards, shields momentarily faltering, before he focused entirely on me. One word passed through my brain: Nihilist. I could hear it now, echoing in the Brute chieftain's commands. That one word proved to the troops that I was working for Riek. He had said that if I used it, they wouldn't question me…would leave me be…

Oh, rebellion tasted so sweet.

I gave the Brute a smile, threw a sticky grenade I had picked up from a dead Grunt, then ducked behind the Wraith, listening for the explosion while finally muttering to John, "Hit him hard."

A moment later, I heard the unmistakable thump of the Brute's body hitting the ground.

The explosion followed a moment later, and the Brutes grumbled, the Chieftain still angrily shouting.

I met John's eyes, "Should we focus on the Chieftain? His lackey's are falling left and right…"

John glanced over the Wraith, contemplating something, before kneeling beside me once more, "I'm going to move to different cover. Focus fire on the Chieftain. Distract him."

Before I could get out another word, John was off, darting from the Wraith's cover to a nearby pillar. Not a single Brute tracked him. I huffed a sigh as I shifted over into John's old position, popping from cover and, as he had ordered, firing short bursts into the Chieftain. Each bullet bounced off his armor as he reinforced his shields, and I hissed in frustration. How was I supposed to kill an enemy who had a shield battery attached to his armor?

It hit me like a flame bomb grenade.

In my short moments of hesitation, the Chieftain had advanced, swinging his Grav Hammer like a fist. It connected with the ground about a foot from my position, and it rocked me to my core, lifting me from the ground and flinging me into the wall, pain shooting from my shoulder as it absorbed the impact. I didn't have time to react as he descended upon me, hammer hissing through the air. My mind took over, and as the hammer's face came closer and closer to my skull, I screamed out that one word, "Nihilist!"

The Chieftain faltered, and the hesitation was just enough. I pushed the barrel of my gun into a weak spot of his armor, pulling the trigger continually, turning the battle rifle automatic. His blood splashed the visor of my helmet, obstructing my view, and I didn't relent. Not until the Chieftain's hammer fell, his body hanging limply, my arm and weapon holding him up…and then I noticed John's knife protruding from the back of the Brute's skull like an omen.

Hesitantly, I shifted to the left, and then pulled the gun away, the Chieftain's body falling limply beside me. John hovered behind the body, stepping over it, pulling the knife from its skull and finally looking to me. He seemed baffled, and I smirked, "It turns out, pulling a trigger isn't as hard as I thought."

He just looked at me, before whispering, "Nihilist?"

All the color drained from my face.

- _**To Be Continued**_


End file.
